Repeat Performance

After sitting quietly and rummaging through thoughts and ideas of what to write about this month, I was nudged over and over about an article I wrote in 2019 – “Bless Your Heart”. Finally, I gave in and decided to re-inspire my readers with a reminder about the vulnerability of our human heart.

I was blessed to spend part of my growing up years on my grandmother, Clementines’ farm in Missouri. She was a petite and very busy woman who found time during her day to say “bless your heart,” to many, be they human or animal, and she lovingly meant all three words. Think about these words, “bless your heart,’ and think about the profound importance of the human heart. As long as the heart beats, we are here. Yet, we unconsciously punish and injure our hearts with negative thoughts and attitudes.

The human heart resonates in a healthy way to minds that are focused on unconditional love, kindness, compassion, trust, and above all forgiveness, including forgiveness of ourselves The Course In Miracles says, “Forgiveness is the key to happiness.” Conversely the human heart and the human body suffer through thoughts focused on resentment, bitterness, grief, and anger.

It has been scientifically proven that there is a direct link between the nature of our thoughts and attitudes and the health of the human body. The following are some of the tendencies found to be common in cases of heart problems and “bless your heart” practices that can help.

• A tendency to exhaust themselves with situations and conflicts they cannot mediate, harmonize or resolve. They may avoid conflict by going along with whatever stronger, more defined personalities around them may want to do.
  Bless your heart – by sitting quietly and focusing on peaceful thoughts, we can build inner strength through inner dialogue with which we can look sincerely at both sides of any conflict and if a decision must be made, make it from a place of greater clarity.
• They have a loss of flexibility and interest in the outside world. They can be rigid in their thinking and have a tendency toward fixed ideas, they believe their way is the right way, possibly the only way. They have a resistance to change.
  Bless your heart – Focusing on heart and mind brings understanding and different possible ways of seeing and doing things. Have compassion and the ability to listen to others.
• Some have lost “heart” for life because of their tendency to put money or position ahead of themselves and others.
  Bless your heart – by taking time to stop “doing” and be a human “being.” Close your eyes and begin relaxing each part of the body beginning with the toes. Tell the body you are slowing everything down, including the mind. Cultivate compassion and patience for self and others.
• Some have hearts that have hardened to life and believe that strain and stress are a natural way of life.
  Bless your heart – by being more loving, patient, and compassionate to others as well as to yourself. Practice forgiveness especially for ourselves. Look deeply inside for everything we are grateful for.

Whenever you feel yourself drifting into negative thinking, stop, look at the thought and ask if it has value for your happiness and wellbeing. Then ask yourself, “What would be there if this thought isn’t there?”

Bless your heart.